UPDATED: First Nation chiefs’ salaries now posted online

It’s been years coming, but now you can see just what Canada’s First Nations chiefs and band councillors earn.

Colin Craig with the Canadian Taxpayers Federation says today is the deadline for the bands to submit the information to the federal government.

He says financial details for 17 bands have been posted so far, 10 of which are in B.C.

“The big benefit of posting this information online is that in the past, we’ve heard from people on reserves that they’ve been bullied for going into the band office and asking to see this information. I mean, it’s appalling, but this is actually what we’ve heard from many different communities.”

Craig says the calls for more transparency started back in 2009, but last year the laws were finally changed so that First Nations could be forced to hand over the information.

Federal payments will be withheld from those who don’t comply.

Kamloops Chief Shane Gottfriedson’s total annual compensation is slightly more than $92,000.

In Osoyoos, Chief Clarence Louie is collecting about $151,000.

The Sumas First Nations Chief Dalton Silver is earning $37,000.

That Abbotsford-area band’s numbers have been posted before those of the Squamish and Musqueam nations, as well as many other Lower Mainland bands.

Which 17 ? If you try to follow the link all you get is ” not posted yet” jeez CKNW if you are start a conversation at least do so of the homework ???/ We don’t have time to randomly try and see what the salaries are ??? We are too busy working to pay taxes to fund this but honestly I don’t think we can have an opinion until we see the actual $?
I know quite a few Natives who are awesome folks and even they think some of the perks they get are stupid,,,particularly if you have status and you are 1/8th Native,,, I mean free post secondary education, bring cars from the US Tax Free etc etc , preferred hiring federal jobs etc etc

Just like the Canadian Senate, if you provide vague guidelines and don’t bother to check on how things are going until a scandal erupts, you can get some bad results. Nobody who has ever run a business would be surprised.

What a bunch of racists. Give them back the land and resources we’ve been stealing all these years and cut the transfer payments then. Jeez…….I’d be far more worried about the amount of taxpayers dollars that are going to friends of the BC Lieberals and the Harpercons. Can you say Mike Duffy? Michael Graydon? David Hahn? Gordon Campbell?

Cheryl, the scale of what worries you is nowhere near the scale of the misspent dollars on First Nations. Further, holding people to account is not racism; although, that card seems to get played all the time when anyone dares to question Aboriginal leadership.

Nowhere near the scale of the misspent dollars on First Nations! So as a Liberal supporter or Harper/Con. Are you saying that it is ok for the politicians and friends to pig out at the trough, but the FN get money from the Government so they can steal their lands and exploit their resources under the Indian act. These people have been put through hell and you racist still complain what the government and friends designed long ago for the FN peoples. Now they will rub it in after and the pain was forced upon them, wait until the royalties and the land is developed for the First Nations use and they become rich people what will you say about that? Still cry and try and take it away.

Check out your dictionary and note the difference between ” Realist and Racist ” and commit it to memory I am sick and tired of your type always playing the race card when anyone questions the Indians on anything. You are entitled to your opinion, as we all are, but you are NOT entitled to your own erroneous facts…

I am glad they are finealy going to oddit , the bands , and see who gets all that money .
I would also like to know how much is pocketed by government Lawyers , and Consultants , working on that Portfoleo .